Xing cai's choice
by dragonlee
Summary: During a boring task, Xing cai was saved from a dangerous fall by one of the Tiger Generals and falls in love with him. Soon she finds out other guys like her too, leaving her in a love...web and an arranged marriage! What is she going to do!
1. Hero

Hi! this is my first ever fanfic. The pairing is Ma chao and Xing cai (weird, no?) I know it's not very good but please put up with it (even if it might send you to sleep in boredom) and it drags on so comments on how to improve would help...thank you!

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Chapter 1 

Hero 

"Oh my God! I can't believe I have to deliver these strategy scrolls to Zhuge liang!" Xing cai exclaimed as she ran with a pile of bamboo scrolls she can barely see over. It was very late and the full moon grazed the night sky.

"Argh! Guan ping was there, why didn't father tell him to do it?! or at least help. It's so dark!"

Xing cai was a girl of just 17 years of age, with sleek dark hair and haunting brown eyes. She has the rare combination of a strategic mind to match Lu xun's, a fierce warrior who fights like a veteran like her father but has a pure, soft innocent beauty which even Zhen ji envies of, yet unlike the other warrior girls, she never bragged about her looks.But as of now, she is tired and seriously peeved about her task.

Then as she ran across the paved terrain she came across a half finished section of the castle wall and stopped. That section was missing several blocks so what was left was a section that resembles some steps. Hmm..If Zhuge liang's quarters is on the otherside of this vast castle grounds, then all I need to do is go up along these walls and follow on until I'm there.

So she climbed up the make-shift steps and ran along the top of the walls like a phantom thief with her goods. It was such a clear beautiful night; the cool breeze stroked her face, it was so calm, then she thought of Guan ping, That selfish idiot!!

"I'm so gonna kill Guan ping when I ge--!?"

She tripped on an awkwardly placed block and was now falling 30 feet. C-crap! The scrolls! If she lets go of the bamboo scrolls to land safely, the scrolls will shatter, meaning the battle strategy will be lost or she injures herself but saves the battle strategy and possibly the entire Shu Han.

Xing cai embraced herself for the impact and pain.

"The ground!! I'm gonna hit th--!"

The pain or impact never came. Instead, she landed into strong arms.

"Are you alright, Miss?"

She opened her eyes and met golden ones. Xing cai blushed as she made out a handsome face and trademark helmet in the twilight. Her heart skipped a few beats.

"M-Ma chao!? W-why..."

"I saw someone run along the wall and thought it was an assassin for Zhuge liang so I went to investigate, but it turned out to be you. Then I saw you fall and now I'm glad I've caught you in time." He said with a handsome smile.

His smile sent Xing cai's heart into a beating frenzy. Still clutching the valuable scrolls Xing cai felt safe in the strong arms of her hero, never wanting the moment to end. She then noticed a gash on Ma chao's hand since he wasn't wearing his arm guards, he must have injured it while saving her.

"Y-your hand.."

"Oh this? it's nothing."

"Don't be silly! It'll get infected. Here."

She tore a strip from her skirt and took Ma chao's hand and bandaged it.

"Xing cai..."

"It's the least I can do, thank you for saving me...See you around."

She stood up and gazed into her savior's eyes for a moment before returning to the task at hand leaving Ma chao. He watched the retreating figure in the distance with a heavy heart. Looking down at his bandaged hand he sighed. Xing cai...

As she ran she felt her heart grow heavy, blood rushed to her face, butterflies danced in her stomach. No! It can't be happening! It's not happening! But she knew what has happened.

She has fallen for Ma chao.

Wait! There's no way! He's out of my league and he is 15 years my senior, such things are unacceptable! Xing cai tried to shake the thoughts out of her mind. Besides, he is one of the Tiger generals and is compared to the mighty Lu bu! She felt a tinge of sadness at this thought. No! Forget it! I'm here. She approched Zhuge liang's quarters. But was greeted by a familiar face.

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There it is, first chapter. Who's that familiar voice? Find out in the next chapter!


	2. Fate

Chapter 2! Come to think of it, My chapters are fairly short...I'll make the next one longer!! Ma Chao X Xing Cai the unlikely couple I thought up 2 o'clock in the morning so it stuck. You can tell I dislike Guan Ping. He's not that bad really.

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Chapter 2

Fate

"Oh! Hello, Xing cai! I see you have the numerous battle strategies from Lord Guan yu."

"yeah, that's right, Jiang wei, They're for lord Zhuge liang."

"Ah! right this way, would you like me to carry some?"

At least someone our generation has some manners, thinking of Guan Ping. She then immediately thought of Ma chao of whom was a complete gentleman. Suddenly she felt blood surged to her cheeks. Uh oh! Not good!

"Are you feeling well? You've gone very red."

"She's not the only one, My student." Interrupted a familiar intellectual voice.

"M-master!" Jiang wei stuttered, becoming a deeper shade of red.

"Good evening." Followed a feminine voice.

Both Xing cai and Jiang wei bowed in respect for their Lord Zhuge liang, the shu strategist, and his elegant wife, Yue ying.

"Ah yes, the scrolls from Guan yu. Thank you." Zhuge liang gratefully exclaimed "but I would've thought Guan ping would assist you in transporting them."

Xing cai muttered angrily at the name Guan ping "friggen, lazy..." But Yue ying giggled at her response.

"Maybe the future couple had an argument."

Xing cai nearly dropped the entire pile of scrolls. "Lady Yue ying!! There's no way I'm going to marry that...that.. idiot!"

Zhuge liang also laughed at her expense. Seeing Xing cai nearly in tears, Jiang wei smiled and took the scrolls from her.

"It's getting very late and your living quarters is on the other side of this area, maybe you should return."

Xing cai nodded and bowed before turning to leave. Just as before she began to walk, Zhuge liang apologised.

"We do apologise for laughing."He then looked towards the sky "But the stars say a you will meet Fate that will change the way you perceive life."

"The..stars?"

"Yes, they reveal all. Yet, they are vague about the one called Fate. It differs from person to person."

Jiang wei couldn't help but to think that Guan ping was her 'Fate'. He clenched his fists at the prospect for all along, since the trio met, he had harboured feelings for Xing cai. She was smarter than your average teen, even to help plan battles. She was a fighting prodigy and she was beautiful. But for her and Guan ping to get together would be an insult to her talents seeming as Guan ping was a rather lazy, has no social life, no charm and did nothing other than stumble in his father's footsteps. Yes I follow Master's footsteps but I don't actually stand in them, I learn from his teachings and do things my own way. Him in the other hand, tries to follow his mighty father exactly. I mean helllooo! similar armour? Jiang wei then noticed that Xing cai's skirt was ripped.

"Wait!"

"Yes? what is it?"

"Your.. skirt.. it's ripped and your arm, how did you graze it?"

Xing cai remembered, it was when Ma chao saved her. As for her skirt, she ripped a strip off to bandage Ma chao's hand. Ma chao's touch, handsome face, defined muscles... Oh God! Oh God! Oh God!! I'm turning red again! Uh...lessee..

"I-I must have snagged when delivering the scrolls..it's um..very dark y'know...Hey! What are you doing looking there anyways?!" She huffed and turned to leave, this time for real and was glad to be out of there and ran back towards her quarters.

"Jeeze! I was only concered! uh..Good night!!"

Yue ying looked at the flustered Jiang wei and noticed that he was extremely red but said nothing. However Only Zhuge liang smirked and opened his mouth:

"You like her don't you?"

Jiang wei was surprised. "What th--?! Master!?" "Ah ha! You can never lie to Zhuge liang!!" Waving his fan ecstatically.

"That's not true!"

"Oh really"

This resulted in Yue ying hitting her husband round the head with her hand.

"Leave him alone! Don't you have better things to do rather than terrorising your own student?!"

"Ow! Okay, Okay! Lets start sorting out Guan yu's plans then, they're always so messy."

"Agreed! let's go! Master."

In the distance, Xing cai ran back the way she should have came only to stop at the spot where she met her hero. The way he looked, those golden eyes.. No! I'm doing it again! Forget Ma chao! And carried on running. But around the corner she hit a stranger, Who the heck?! She nervously looked up and sent her heart into another frenzy. The stranger was the tormentor of her heart.

"Ah! We meet again. It must be fate!" He grinned.

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Yep!! Fate! Pretty cheezy, huh? never mind.


End file.
